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The Government will adopt a memorandum that will lay the foundation for the legislative changes, so that all British citizens in Romania "can continue to live, work and study in the country without encountering any difficulties," Prime Minister Viorica Dancila stated in the opening of the Government meeting on Tuesday.
"The protection of the citizens' rights was the priority of the Romanian Government for the entire duration of the Brexit process. Throughout these negotiations, we have tried to make sure that the rights of Romanian citizens residing in the UK will be respected. We have already received assurances from the British Government in this respect and we continue to pay close attention to the way these commitments are being implemented. At the same time we want all British citizens in Romania to be able to continue to live, work and study in the country without encountering any difficulty. The Romanian Government will adopt a memorandum which will lay the foundation for the necessary legislative changes to achieve this goal. We will ensure the continuity of rights acquired by the British citizens as citizens of the European Union who have exercised their right to free movement, in particular with regard to the right to live, work or study in the host country. These rights are guaranteed, in compliance with the principle of reciprocity, to the treatment applicable to Romanian citizens by the United Kingdom," Viorica Dancila said.
The Prime Minister stressed in this context that the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the Brexit process continues to mark the European agenda this week as well.
"We are still looking forward to concrete proposals from the British Government on the steps to be taken in the light of the latest developments in the ratification process of the withdrawal agreement. Only a few days before the date of withdrawal, the risk of a disorderly, no deal exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union is still high. Any decision on the extension of the 29 March deadline will be taken into consideration by the EU leaders only after a formal request by the United Kingdom in this regard. The withdrawal agreement remains the best instrument for an orderly exit that fully protects the rights of citizens, while guaranteeing legal certainty for the business environment. In the current context, it is essential to continue our internal preparations to respond appropriately to any scenario that will materialize in the upcoming period," Dancila said.
